Yoga Retreats Greece 2021



Yoga Retreats Greece 2021

After such a long and tiring period, it is now time to retreat from city life and all the regulations and restrictions for Covid 19. Of course, we will take all necessary precautions, and how could we not after all. 

I strongly feel that all of us need a break after such a continuous and prolonged quarantine. All situations have a hidden treasure somewhere for us to seek and find. Although this particular situation we are going through is very challenging, life is wise. The lessons we learn are valuable if we decide to see them through this perspective. 

Let's admit it! We miss nature so much! It is as if we are thirsty and someone is giving us a sweet drink when all we need is a glass of cool water. Nothing will ever replace the strong bond we share with our creator, this being a pretty good thing. 

City life can be so indulging and seducing. Those of us who have lived most of our life inside the city's walls understand this very well. We know how we can get carried away by all the pleasures and excitements a city can offer us. Everything is near in the least tiring way, literally at our feet and palms. All kind of input is available all the time. There comes a moment that this can become very draining, to the point of exhaustion. That is the right time to join a yoga retreat.

What does it mean to retreat, and why yoga retreats are so popular? To go in retreat means to pull ourselves back from our ordinary lives and make a pause. It means to not continue at the same pace but to slow down. I think we have been so busy being busy with our lives and everyday tasks that it almost feels unnatural to stop. 

A yoga retreat is a combination of yoga practice and a natural way of living. The word "yoga" derives from the Sanskrit word "Yuj" and means to become one, to connect. So, a yoga retreat is a period when you put your efforts into your yoga practice, seizing all other professional and personal activities. The aim is to experience oneness, unity.

The reason a yoga retreat is suitable for those that want to reconnect with their selves is apparent. Two very effective "tools", Yoga and nature, come in a union. It is through this union we can start to realize the natural state of being. We can not attain the merging if we do not let go of the predictable flatness of our city life. It is very peculiar and paradoxical how much effort we think is required on our part to merely be. For those who were born in the city, life outdoors can be very challenging and even frightening. There are all sorts of living beings around us, inhabiting the soil, the trees, and the air. Many people have developed phobias of many kinds because they do not get exposed and desensitized.

The bet is to live and not think that we live. There are all sorts of mental projections that appear in us. They continuously, relentlessly instruct how we are supposed to live. But if we learn how to let go of all these projections, as they unravel in front of our mind's eyes, then maybe we will start to find a stronger connection with the living being that we are.

That is the gift and the power of meditation. If you closely observe a newborn baby you can feel its presence. The patterns and mental structures we have accepted as a part of living in a society is also a part of growing up. In a baby, there is calmness, this effortless state of being. It is also here with us. The glass needs a lot of cleaning, that's all.

During the yoga retreats, you will experience what it means to engage yourself in consistent spiritual practice. The days will have an early start when nature wakes up, and there is this particular feeling of serenity all around. The group will gather in the Zendo (practice hall) twice a day for Yoga practice and Zen meditation. The program may also include Karma Yoga which is dynamic meditation or, in other words, meditation in motion.

The food will be simple, well cooked and nutritious. The Mediterranean diet is known for its balance and healing properties as well as the great taste. The Greek soil, sun and water nurture the plants and fruits, creating rich produce and delicious food. I have heard from many travellers how they find what they eat here in Greece so rich in flavour.

I was introduced to the yoga practice in 1996 when I joined one of the first yoga retreat centres in Europe. I still remember the feeling of being part of a Community, where enthusiasm and warmth spread all around. We were all working towards a direction that pointed to well being, compassion and love.

That is my vision for the yoga retreat in Serifos. 

I am looking so forward to sharing it with all of you during the Yoga Retreats Greece 2021!


Alexandra Sotiropoulou



Location: Serifos 840 05, Greece

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